Where high is too high for downtown Kelowna towers
Five highrise towers with a total of 151 storeys will be debated by Kelowna city councillors next week.
One three-tower proposal is being opposed by city staff for having 46 storeys more than they think should be built on that site.
But staff are supporting requests to add 33 extra storeys to two other towers, one of which could be the city’s tallest building at 46 storeys.
First up, on Monday, are three towers of 33, 27 and 20 storeys proposed by Safari Capital to replace homes on 16 lots in the 500-600 block of Coronation Avenue.
City staff are using an “early consideration” process to take the application, which was just filed in May, to council with a recommendation to turn it down before the developer does any more work on it.
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“Height policy direction in the downtown was to concentrate the greatest amount of height and density along designated corridors,” the staff report going to council says. “These policies are based on the premise that tall buildings are desirable in the right places, but do not belong everywhere.”
Coronation Avenue is envisioned to have buildings only 12 storeys tall.
“Tower sites are often constrained, and their ability to step and terrace the built form to transition heights into surrounding context is therefore limited,” the developer counters in its written presentation that’s also going to council. “With this site, we envision a collection of buildings that transition density down from the gateway corner at St. Paul Street down to the east.”
The proposal is for 80 hotel rooms, 182 condos, 222 market rental units, eight townhomes and 216 student rental units, for a total of 708 units.
While staff are trying to give that project the early boot on Monday for being too high, on Tuesday they want council to agree to a 20-storey addition to the proposed UBCO “vertical campus” just three blocks (about 450 metres) away at 550 Doyle Ave.
That site is envisioned to have a maximum of 26 storeys but UBCO is asking for 46.
“This type of height and density would not normally be supported for private development,” that staff report to council says. “It is deemed an appropriate location downtown and is considered a special project due to the applicant and institutional use, the University of British Columbia.”
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Also on Tuesday, council will consider a development permit for a 25-storey tower, called Muse, on city-owned land at 350 Doyle Ave., a couple of blocks closer to Okanagan Lake than the UBCO tower.
That project has triggered opposition for years.
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It was originally proposed at 13 storeys but was redesigned to 25 in response to public complaints. It’s on land designated for 12 storeys.
“While the (height) variance represents a departure from this original premise, the podium and tower form provides an alternative way of arranging the desired density and massing on-site and comes as a result of the developer’s planning and public consultation process over the past two years,” that staff report to council says.
“The taller building form will result in the building being visible from many spots in the downtown and will create greater prominence and profile," it continues. "The taller building will also differentiate itself from the lower mid-rise building forms of neighbouring properties providing variation and contrast.”
All these figures are based on the existing allowable heights.
In April, city staff proposed a “density bonusing” program to council that would allow for increased heights for rental projects, such as 15 storeys where 12 are now envisioned.
Sites that already allow 26 storeys could, if the bonusing system is approved, qualify for an additional 10 or so storeys.
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Still to come before council is a proposed 36-storey tower right across Doyle Avenue from the UBCO tower.
That is being proposed by Kerkhoff Construction, the company that built what is, currently, the city’s tallest building, One Water Street, at 35 storeys.
That land has yet to be rezoned but the project is already posted on the internet as One Varsity and people can register for information packages.
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